India will present its case before WTO with force, says Joshi

Union Human Resources Development Minister
Murli Manohar Joshi says the Government of India has
decided to place its viewpoint before the World Trade Organisation
more forcefully, and rejected demands made by the United
States that India should import some sensitive items or that
it should lift within five years the prohibitory steps taken to
restrict import of some other items.

Addressing a press conference in Ahmedabad on Monday, he said under the General
Agreement on Trade and Tariffs, those countries facing
foreign exchange problems could restrict imports, with the
International Monetary Fund deciding whether a country
had a problem in balance of payments. The steps taken by India
were in keeping with these criteria and in
its national interest.

Dr Joshi said although India wanted to phase out restrictions
on imports in nine years, it agreed to the demand of the
European Union to do so in six years. However, the US's demand
to reduce it further to five years had been rejected.

The HRD minister said a national policy should be evolved
to protect India's interests, and the country should face
these situations in a united manner and through consensus. The
government would try to evolve such consensus during next month's Budget session of Parliament, he said.

Similarly, Dr Joshi pointed out, India should also evolve a
consensus on patents law. The industry ministry had
already formed a committee for the purpose.
He regretted that attempts were being made to raise
new issues, and some countries wanted to bring such issues into the GATT through the backdoor. Human rights, culture and environment
were among such issues which were being used for financial
and trade purposes, he pointed out.

Replying to a question, Dr Joshi said the poor nations should
unite and evolve a joint strategy to guard their national
economic interests vis-a-vis the rich nations. ''We should be
cautious and ensure that Indian economy does not go the South-East
Asian nations's way," he said.